Will Taylor

Thanks to a six-run third inning, the Altoona Curve were able to outlast the Erie Seawolves 8-6 in front of 3,328 fans at PNG Field Sunday afternoon.

The Curve scored three of those six third inning runs on a three-run double by Will Taylor.

Prior to Taylor’s double, Altoona scored off a double by Duce Gourson, and singles by Callan Moss and Omar Alfonzo, respectively.

“We had two outs, too, and two-out RBIs are huge,” Curve manager Andy Fox said. “We did a really good job hitting with runners in scoring positions — 6-for-12 today — so we just, we just had enough.”

Erie scored two runs in each of the fourth, seventh and eighth innings to come within a run of the Curve, but Altoona scored an insurance run in the home half of the eighth inning.

“We’ve got to do a better job of throwing strikes, limiting damage,” Fox said. “We had a 6-0 lead, and we got to do a better job of shutting them down.”

The Seawolves knocked back-to-back singles against Alessandro Ercolani in the ninth. Ercolani exited the game after a groundout by Thayron Liranzo moved runners to second and third base with two outs.

Jake Shirk came on to relieve Ercolani and needed only three pitches to end the game and earn the save.

“He was huge,” Fox said. “When you have a big lead, and especially at the end of the series, when you have a chance to win the series, you want to be able to close it out, and thankfully we worked it out.”

Series win

Sunday’s win marked the second series win in a row for the Curve, who are now 19-14 since starting the season with 0-12.

“We’re pitching when we have to and getting timely hitting,” Fox said. “We’re putting pressure on the defense. I think we’re doing such a better job with runners in scoring position, especially with putting the ball in play in two strikes and putting pressure on the defense.”

Saturday’s games

With Friday’s game being rained out, it forced a doubleheader on Saturday. The Curve lost game 1, 8-0, and won game 2, 3-1.

Up next

The Curve will head to Hartford for a six-game series that starts on Tuesday. This series marks the first time they will oppose former manager Michael Ryan, who is currently a bench coach for Hartford. Ryan is the all-time winningest manager in franchise history with 221 wins.